Healthy Community Grant Supports Addiction Recovery Program

Through the Healthy Community Grant Program, Peace Arch Hospital Foundation is able to help local non-profit organizations in the White Rock and South Surrey areas fund programs that support the health and wellness of our community. White Rock’s Launching Pad Addiction Rehabilitation Society is one organization that has benefited from this funding, thus increasing its offering of services available to recovering adult male alcoholics and addicts in our community.

The Launching Pad Addiction Rehabilitation Society is a non-profit agency serving the residents of the province of British Columbia. Its purpose is to provide a vital link in the continuum of services available to recovering adult male alcoholics and addicts. The Launching Pad assists clients to return to productive and healthy lifestyles, while also helping families and friends to participate in the recovery process. Male adult alcoholics and/or drug addicts will have the opportunity to leave as clean and sober productive members of the community.

“I came to the Launching Pad seeking help with my long-term problems with substance abuse,” says member Austin Swark. “While here, I [have the opportunity] to participate in programs to learn more about my addiction problem and I am coached in applying practical recovery strategies in the Peer to Peer Kitchen Training Initiative.”

Before Austin arrived at the Launching Pad, he had “run his life into the ground,” which became unmanageable due to alcohol consumption and poor decision making. “I didn’t have much hope when I first got here,” says Austin. With the support of his peers, Austin was eventually willing to participate in the various opportunities the Launching Pad offered, such as the Peer-to-Peer Kitchen Program, which is partially funded by PAH Foundation.

“I got my Food Safe [certification] here at the Launching Pad, and through the help of others and the Kitchen Program, I found that I was perfectly capable of handling the responsibilities I would need if I wanted to live a better life,” says Austin. “I now have the ability to cook a wide range of healthy meals for myself as well as my two daughters… With a genuine smile on my face, instead of being full of fear and despair over how I could possibly hope to look after the people I care about when I previously couldn’t take care of myself.”

“Peace Arch Hospital Foundation is proud to support this important initiative for men like Austin who are recovering from addiction in White Rock and South Surrey. We are committed to supporting the overall health and wellness of our community and are glad to support addiction recovery and skills-developing programs for men and their families.

Ashley McGuire, Community Engagement Officer, Peace Arch Hospital Foundation

For more information about the Launching Pad Addiction Recovery Society, please visit their website.